RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Leukotriene and prostaglandin synthesis pathways in osteoarthritic synovial membranes: regulating factors for interleukin 1beta synthesis. JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 704 OP 712 VO 32 IS 4 A1 Patrick Marcouiller A1 Jean-Pierre Pelletier A1 Mélanie Guévremont A1 Johanne Martel-Pelletier A1 Pierre Ranger A1 Stefan Laufer A1 Pascal Reboul YR 2005 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/32/4/704.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanisms responsible for the cross-talk between lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways in human osteoarthritic (OA) synovial explants, and to confirm the arachidonic acid (AA) shunting phenomenon and its influence on interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) synthesis. METHODS: Synovial membrane explants were cultured in the absence or presence of different drugs that inhibit COX and/or LOX activities. Concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), lipoxin A4 (LXA4), and IL-1beta were measured. RESULTS: When membrane explants were incubated with naproxen (COX inhibitor) under unstimulated conditions, the production of LTB4 was dose-dependently enhanced, reaching a 5-fold increase over the control. This shunt could be partially reversed by the addition of exogenous PGE2. Under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, both licofelone (COX/LOX inhibitor) at therapeutic concentrations and NDGA (LOX inhibitor) inhibited LTB4 production, whereas naproxen did not amplify the LPS-induced LTB4 production. Conversely, using NDGA, it was found that a shunt of AA from the LOX to the COX pathway did not occur. Under LPS conditions, both naproxen and licofelone inhibited LXA4, inducing an increase in the LTB4/LXA4 ratio with naproxen treatment but not with licofelone. Under these conditions, naproxen treatment induced a higher level of IL-1beta production. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated in OA synovium that a shunt from AA to the LOX pathway occurred and that treatment with a nonselective COX inhibitor could increase the production of LTB4 and secondarily the synthesis of IL-1beta. Therefore treatment with licofelone, which can act on both COX and LOX pathways, may have some interesting properties in the treatment of OA.